


Ghosts Walk Among Us

by xxPeppermintxx109



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars Sequel Trilogy
Genre: Angst, Ben Solo Needs A Hug, Enemies to Lovers, Flashbacks, Force-Sensitive Finn (Star Wars), Friends to Enemies, Jedi Finn (Star Wars), Jedi academy rey, Laser swords go brrrrrr, Last Jedi superiority, Lots of Angst, Luke Skywalker is gay, Maybe - Freeform, Multi, Multiship, Past Poe Dameron/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Poe Dameron Needs A Hug, Rey Needs A Hug (Star Wars), Rian Johnson is a king, Rise of Skywalker Never Happened, Rose Tico superiority, We all remember that scene in TFA, Young Poe Dameron, aliens babey, happy endings over here, idk yet, it fuels me, keep the rats fed, luke jedi academy cause that needs to be talked about more, maybe some force sensitive Poe Dameron but not a lot, original female character cause I love that, poe and Ben were besties as kids, poe and oc are MAIN ship but lots of Reylo too, poe definitely had a crush on ben, rey has a history with ben, reylo excellence, thank you king for we rats are grateful, this is a space opera deal with it, ”what girl”
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-19
Updated: 2020-12-20
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:07:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,624
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28168983
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/xxPeppermintxx109/pseuds/xxPeppermintxx109
Summary: Kylo Ren remembered her. He was the one who dropped her off on Jakku of course. He remembered her screaming for him to return but he couldn’t. Saving her already meant risking his very being if Snoke found out. But he still saved her. And now, she’s become a problem. She was supposed to take his hand and yet, she didn’t. He saved her as a kid and he killed Snoke for her. For them. He has to find her. He will find her, even if it’s the last thing he does, and he will get her to join him.Poe can’t help but continue to struggle over the loss of his best friends. One would think that after 6 years he would be over it. But memories continue to wear him down and he can’t seem to shake them. They’re picking up in intensity and ruining his focus, and he can’t seem to understand why. The Resistance is crumbled to ashes, sure, but he should have been feeling good about his odds with them. Yet something still feels off. And what good is an unfocused pilot haunted by ghosts of the past?Post-TLJ where Rey is a nobody, Ben and Rey were at Luke’s Jedi Academy together, Poe and Ben were childhood friends, and a new addition that stirs the pot of our beautiful space opera
Relationships: Armitage Hux/Rose Tico, Finn/Rose Tico, Kylo Ren/Rey, Poe Dameron/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren, Poe Dameron/Original Character(s), Poe Dameron/Original Female Character(s), Rey/Ben Solo | Kylo Ren
Comments: 1
Kudos: 9
Collections: Ijustfellintothissendhelp





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hey! So this is my jab at a lil piece of Reylo and a lil something extra. Ben/Rey are the main ship, alongside Poe and my original female character. This prologue is short, I know, I apologize. I just wanted to get the idea down while I’m between chapters of my real book. Updates will be a bit slow until the first draft of my book gets to my editor. Then they should be frequent until I have to go back to that. But yeah! Hope y’all enjoy :)  
> \- P

The best pilot in all the Resistance.

Poe Dameron scoffed at the title and tossed a rock across the body of water that sat still before him. The title meant so much and so little to him. It came in handy sometimes, most definitely. It meant that Leia trusted him with more than he could ever possibly dream of. But it was a slap to the face in so many ways. Sure he got the adrenaline rush. He got all the girls, and guys, clambering to congratulate him after a job well done of eliminating some First Order threats. He got to be the face of the air attack of the Resistance.

But it wasn’t enough.

It wasn’t enough to save his best friends. Though one could argue he’d never have been able to save them in the first place. What was a mere pilot compared to some otherworldly beings who seemed to harness literal superpowers?

He remembered the way they would greet him when he visited. Or when he was allowed to at least. He remembered the way both would seem to smile, even though one always was such a kriffing stick in the mud. He remembered what it was like to look around in awe as his best friends showed him the ways of the Force, a concept so foreign and alien to him but something so beautiful all the same. He remembered the way he managed to get them both in trouble (though they claimed it was worth it) by stealing them away one night to take them flying in his mom’s old A-Wing. The memories were good. They were fun.

And they hurt so fucking much.

Poe bit down on the inside of his cheek, gnawing at the moist flesh of his mouth until it was stained with an iron flavor. He reached into his loose shirt collar, pulling out the small ring on a chain that hung from his neck everyday. It was his mother’s ring. He promised he would save it for the right partner. He swore he would. But both were gone. His partners in crime. His best friends. He may not have thought of marrying both, of course not, but they seemed like the perfect matches for him if he thought back to what his mother told him. They could have been quite the fearsome trio. But they were gone. Lost to the life beyond death.

Tears stung his eyes and he hurriedly wiped them away as he clenched his jaw so tightly he thought it may pop clean off his skull. Crying wouldn’t bring them back. Nothing would. Six full years of their absence should have been enough to confirm that they were gone for good. But damn it all did he try to cry everyday in hopes of bringing them back again. Maybe one tear would fall and the Force or whatever would suddenly let them spring from that tear. One smiling brightly and the other fighting to hide a smirk beneath his cold facade.

Sighing heavily, Poe stood from the muddy rock he had been sitting on for the past three hours. He wiped down his pants, tucking the ring back beneath his neckline. He had a mission to get to. One that involved flying with BB-8 down to some backwater, waste planet; one that reminded him very much of a mission he went on not too long ago to meet with Lor San Tekka. He had to focus. He knew his mission. He knew exactly where he was to fly to, land, who he needed to meet with, and when he needed to return. The Resistance needed reinforcements if they had any hopes of fighting to win this war. The Resistance needed their Commander.

He was the best damn pilot in the Resistance and sitting around crying over lost friends wasn’t very pilot-like of Poe Dameron. He shot one last look at the still water before turning to hike back to the base on Ajan Kloss. He had an X-Wing and BB droid unit to prep for reconnaissance. 

And crying over the loss of Ben Solo and Ishana Krenik wouldn’t help the Resistance to find a bit of a spark.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here we go! Quick update just to make up for the short prologue. We’re going to be starting in the past, 15 ABY to be exact. One of the tags is flashbacks, and I suppose the first arc of this story will be purely from the past. I hope y’all enjoy. Thank you already so much for the bookmark and kudos! I’m so excited to go on this journey with y’all!  
> \- P

**15 ABY**

“Poe, you won’t believe it!”

The young Poe Dameron, accompanied by his hero father Sergeant Kess Dameron, smiled brightly at the vision that was one of his two best friends. His father let go of his shoulder and the young boy of thirteen bolted to greet the girl he had grown close to since her arrival on Yavin 4 only a few months past. 

Bright white hair reflected the brilliant light that emanated from Yavin Prime. Silver eyes in the shapes of almonds twinkled with wonder and excitement, barely able to contrast the cream like color of the girl’s skin. A wide grin ripped onto her features, betraying the fact that the girl had just lost a tooth. 

“Guess what, Poe?” the girl squealed with unconfined excitement befitting a ten year old child.

The black haired boy came to a sudden halt in front of her as the pair met in the middle of the courtyard in front of the Jedi Praxeum. “What is it?”

“A baby arrived today!” the girl giggled with a twirl, overcome with intense delight at the very thought.

Poe cocked his head curiously. “And you’re excited?” He didn’t see why his best friend was so excited over a baby. From what he remembered from the friends of his father who had babies, the useless children were annoying and gross. He remembered one puking simply cause it puked. He wasn’t sure why she would be so excited. “Why is there even a baby here? They can’t hold lightsabers or use the Force.” 

The girl rolled her eyes and placed small hands over her hips, crinkling the brown fabric that covered her small body. “Well, no, but it’s a baby! I’ve never seen one before,” she noted, tapping her chin as her white brows furrowed in deep thought.

Poe’s deep brown eyes widened. “You’ve never seen a baby before?”

The girl twisted her lips into one corner, pursing them softly. “Mmmm,” she thought for a moment, looking down at her feet, “nope! Never seen one!” She titled her head back up at Poe, smiling.

Poe couldn’t help the light giggle that left him at his friend’s utter lack of knowledge. Sure they were both young, much younger than the adults who lived on Yavin 4, but he thought that the Jedi were supposed to be all-knowing? So shouldn’t she know about them?

“Where’d the baby come from even?” Poe asked as his friend twirled to face the entrance to the academy. He skipped over to her side and shot a wave to his father, who smiled and nodded his head towards the boy. Poe would see him in the evening, when his day of visitation ended and he would be forced to leave his friends for another long period of time.

The girl shrugged. “I don’t know! She just appeared on the front steps last night! Master Luke said something like she was meant to be here.” The girl then looked up to the bright blue sky, smiling at the local birds that cawed and flew in pairs. She turned to look at Poe. “Whatever that means, heh.”

“You and Ben can stick to the,” Poe paused and shook his hands in the air “magic. I’ll stick to my flying.” 

The girl giggled at that. “You sound like Ben’s dad. He visited last week and kept saying Master Luke performed magic,” she laughed out, snorting lightly at the last word.

Poe smiled at his best friend, stuffing his small hands into his pockets. The entrance to the academy came up suddenly, opening to the secrets of the Jedi, or so his father claimed. Little torches lit up the hall that was open to the nature of Yavin 4, and Poe felt a shiver run down his spine.

He looked over at his friend. “Where is Ben anyways? He promised we would talk about flying,” Poe pouted, disappointment and naive betrayal creeping into his mind.

The girl looked around the sand colored stones that filled the walls. The pair began walking down a main hall, their small footsteps echoing in the normal silence. She clutched her hands together behind her as she picked up a little skip in her step. Heel to toe, heel to toe. Poe could hear the way his best friend walked because it was so quiet in the hall save for the flickering of the flames.

She hummed, “Probably with the baby!” The girl turned her brilliant eyes and chubby cheeks to him, looking up at Poe with pure giddiness. “Wanna go see her?”

Poe set his lips in a harsh line, biting at the inside of his cheek. He really would rather spend time with his best friends, but he guessed he couldn’t say no to her. She was always so happy and smiling, and Poe didn’t really want to be responsible for causing her to frown.

He wasn’t sure what it was in his young heart, but it started to hurt a little at the very thought of upsetting the white-haired girl beside him.

“Sure,” he conceded, shrugging his shoulders a little to show that he was agreeing but not whole heartedly.

The girl squealed and grabbed Poe’s hand, ripping it from his pocket. He jolted in surprise at the sudden movement. His friend began to pick up her pace and her giggles bounced off of the lonely walls. Poe had to run to keep up with the little spitfire and the surprise dropped away to reveal utter enjoyment at the new activity they engaged in. His own laughter started to bubble out from behind his smiling lips.

They weaved in and out of halls, passing one of the enclosed courtyards and a room where the ceiling was made up of crisscross designs that allowed free air to flow in. Poe had never seen this far into the Praxeum and he wished he could have forced the girl to stop so he could look at the open-air rooms. Childish curiosity reared it’s beautiful head and Poe even felt a little drip of something uncomfortable in his stomach. He wondered why he didn’t have the ability to do what his best friends did. He wondered why he could only fly. Why couldn’t he use the Force?

The pair skidded to a halt and Poe rammed into his friend’s back. The girl cried out in surprise, dropping Poe’s hand. She immediately stumbled away and rubbed at the back of her head where Poe had hit her with his shoulder. The boy winced and stepped backwards, rolling his shoulder back and forth until the stinging pain faded.

“Watch where you’re going, flyboy,” the girl muttered, a glassy sheen overtaking her silver eyes.

Poe opened his mouth to utter a similar sting back at the girl, but the door they stopped before opened with a slight rumble.

The boy’s eyes widened at the sight of an aging man with a blonde beard trimmed close to his jaw standing under the doorframe. He had dark brown robes—the kind that denote Jedi Master status, or so Ben had told Poe—and his arms were crossed over his chest. Blue eyes twinkled with amusement in the torchlight and a smile hid beneath his well kept beard. The last time Poe had seen the Jedi hero, his face was clean-shaven.

“Ishana?” the man asked calmly, turning to the shining star of a child. “What did we learn about being loud?”

Poe turned to his best friend and the girl had her head tilted down. Her shoulders came up to her ears and her fingers trembled slightly behind her as they fiddled with one another at the lower part of her back. “We must be quiet and patient, for a true Jedi does not allow herself to be overwhelmed by emotions.”

“And why is that?” Luke asked softly.

Ishana looked up, a small smile teasing her pale lips. “Because how can we catch the bad guys if we’re too loud?”

Poe looked back up at the Jedi Master who only rolled his eyes with a chuckle. “We’ll work on that, little one,” he surrendered, eliciting a guilty chortle from his apprentice. The man turned to Poe then, who only could stare in wonderment at the legend of Luke Skywalker. “Young Poe, back so soon?”

Poe gulped back a bundle of nerves that decided to settle in his throat. He hurriedly went through the ways to greet heroes. His father had taught him all about it. His mother too. But she was gone. She had been for a couple of years. Surely he could dig up those memories. He had met Master Luke Skywalker before. Multiple times in fact. But suddenly, his mouth felt dry and words failed to fall from his lips. It was like this every time. He remembered his mother telling him the story of how her last mission with the Rebel Alliance involved working with the Jedi Master. He remembered how his parents told him all about Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker and Han Solo. 

Yet, he couldn’t form the words he thought fit for the legend.

“Psst,” Ishana whispered, a giggle trickling over as she nudged his shoulder, “lothcat got your tongue?”

Poe startled and jumped slightly in the air. Ishana bursted into an explosion of laughter, clutching at her stomach. Poe stuck his tongue out at the girl and turned back to Luke.

“Sorry Master Skywalker,” he apologized, dipping his head a little before meeting the man’s bright blue eyes. “I sometimes forget you’re real.”

Luke smiled and extended a hand to Poe. The boy took the hand and Luke squatted down so he could come face to face with the Dameron boy. “Is it because everyone says I’m a legend, Poe?”

The boy nodded, embarrassment kissing his tanned cheeks. 

Luke patted the back of Poe’s hand softly, tilting his head just a little to the side. “Would you like to know something, kid?” He didn’t wait for Poe’s response. “Legends are often made up. They’re stories to help inspire kids like you to be the best you can. Everyone says I’m a legend. They say the Force is made up. You can feel my hands right? It’s because I’m real. The Force is just as real as you and me. There is no legend of Luke Skywalker. I couldn’t have done half the things I did without my sister and greatest friend. It wasn’t all me, and the Force helped just as much as my friends did. Does that make sense, Poe?”

The boy shrugged his shoulders. “Not really.”

Luke chuckled and gave a final pat to Poe’s hand before standing and releasing the boy. “You will. One day. Maybe I can retell you some stories to help. Would you like that?”

Poe grinned and nodded his head excitedly. “Yes please, Master Skywalker.”

Luke smiled and turned to Ishana, who Poe now noticed was staring at Luke with nothing less than pure awe and worship. The man nodded his head for the kids to enter the room. Ishana didn’t hesitate and bolted beneath Luke’s arm so she could get around him. Poe followed Luke curiously, peering around the doorframe.

Excitement coursed through him at the sight of Ben. The gangly looking boy sat in a chair, staring quietly at some crib of some sorts. His black waves framed his oddly long face, a matching nose peeked out from the waves. 

“Ben!” Poe exclaimed, though he made sure to keep his call a bit more quiet so as to not wake what he assumed to be a baby.

The Solo boy turned suddenly and a wide grin ripped over his large mouth. “Poe!” He scrambled to stand from his chair and hurled himself at the older boy. They embraced with bright laughter, patting one another on their backs. Ben pulled away quickly, grabbing Poe by the arms and a bright twinkled danced in his dark eyes. Despite being three years younger than Poe, the young Solo boy stood at the same height.

“Uncle Luke-“

A throat cleared and Ben’s cheeks tinted pink. “I mean Master Luke and I went on a mission to see if we could find more kids like Ishana and I! I got to see so many cool flyers! I even drew some!”

Poe’s eyes widened and he had to stop himself from jumping up and down in the air. “Really?!”

“Yeah! I’ll show you-“

“Maybe we should first introduce the little one to Poe, Ben?” Luke offered gently, though his words left no room for argument. Poe recognized it because his dad took on the same tone often.

The boys separated and Ben waved Poe over to the crib of which Ishana was already leaning over and cooing to the baby laying down inside. She turned her eyes up to Poe and Ben, grinning wildly before looking back to the babe. Poe tilted his head up slightly, looking down his nose at the helpless human that wiggled it’s arms and legs in the air like a roach. Poe twisted his nose at the sight.

“That’s what you’re both losing your minds over?” Poe asked to his best friends. Ishana gasped in betrayal, Ben turning to him with wide eyes.

“You can’t feel it?” Ben asked, cocking his head and furrowing his brows.

Poe shrugged. “Feel what?”

“The Force, you kriffing moof-milker,” Ishana insulted him with wild exasperation. Poe’s jaw dropped and Ben snorted quietly.

“Ishana!” Master Luke cried out in horror. The girl looked up to her master with a confused expression. “What did I say about language?!”

“But Ben’s dad says it,” Ishana nearly whined.

Luke sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He waved a hand in the air, dismissing the excuse with visible annoyance. “Yes, I’ll be sending a holo to Han or I’ll be speaking to him when he next comes,” the adult muttered. Poe still couldn’t believe the girl had called him something his father said was a very, very bad word. If Poe said it, he’d get a slap upside the head and a verbal beating. But Ishana gets off the hook? That didn’t seem fair. And she was younger!

“Why can he say it but I can’t?” Ishana pouted, straightening from the crib and crossing her arms.

“An hour of extra meditation for the next week, Ishana,” Luke punished the girl, not even entertaining her question. Poe smirked at the girl, earning a stare that probably could have killed him. Could the Force do that? “Oh, and you’ll need to work on catching five sintrail rodents over the next week as well. No traps.”

“Master Luke-“ Ishana cried out in horror. Poe snickered at the punishment. The rats were sneaky and his father often just gave up on catching or killing the creatures. 

“That’s what happens when we break rules,” Luke shrugged, though Poe spied a smile underneath his beard. “Our actions have consequences. Even words, Ishana. For everyday after the week is up that you fail to catch the five rats, I will add an hour to your meditation sessions.”

The girl sighed out in frustration, sliding down into her chair with a grumpy pout. She rested her head in her hands, palms pushing up her chubby cheeks.

“Fiiiiiine,” she huffed.

“Wonderful. Now, Poe,” Luke turned to the boy, gathering his full attention. He walked to the crib, standing between the Dameron and Solo boys. Poe looked up at him before looking back down at the baby in the crib. He noticed that the baby, a girl, stared directly at Ben. He looked over at his best friend, who simply stood silently. Dark eyes stared intently at the baby and Poe thought that odd. Were they related? What was so special about some dumb baby?

“Poe, I’d like you to meet Rey.”


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some more childhood fluff! I’m expecting this arc to take about 15 chapters. Maybe less or more depending on how I feel. The fluff won’t last for long, trust me, so savor it while y’all can hehehehe. Thank you for the support thus far!  
> \- P

**15 ABY**

The annual end of the GST year celebration was approaching, and with it, so was Ishana’s birthday. She would be turning eleven the second day of the new year and Poe had no clue what to get her. He already had to think about what to get Ben for the end of the year celebration, but he was coming up with nothing. 

Poe huffed in childlike distress, throwing his arms above his head and falling back into the bed. It didn’t help that he wasn’t allowed to see either of his friends until the day of the celebration. They were with their master, visiting some old man and looking for Jedi relics or something of the sort. Maybe even looking for new Jedi recruits. He wondered briefly what was being done about the baby, Rey.

The baby girl had been at the academy for about three standard moon cycles, or three months, now and Poe was rather tired of her presence. Both Ishana and Ben were obsessive over the baby. Ishana mostly because she just thought the baby was supposedly neat, and her wild fascination with babies in general as she had never been around one before. Then there was Ben who just seemed...zoned out whenever he was in the baby’s presence. Poe wasn’t sure what had gotten into his best friend but he was certain that he didn’t like it. Why couldn’t they focus on him?

Poe sighed and flipped onto his stomach, bored out of his mind. He wanted to do something. He wanted to play with his friends, or fly with his dad, or do just about anything other than lay around and do nothing. 

A sharp piece of metal dug into his chest and he smiled sadly as he dug out a ring on a chain. He set his chin on his bed, eyes strained to look directly ahead at the silver ring between his fingers. The light filtering in from the window created a shine that reflected off of the band that once belonged to his mother. The pads of his fingers carefully traced over the cool metal, wondering if his mom could hear his silent pleas for her to return. Ishana and Ben had said something about the Force being able to bring some people back into ghost form. Maybe his mom was out there?

“Mom?” Poe called out tentatively, looking up and around until his peripheral vision ran amuck. 

No one replied.

The boy turned his head over, leaning on his bicep and holding the ring up into the light away from his chest. He squinted his eyes, hoping that maybe he would be able to see his mom through some portal or something. That’s how the Force worked right?

“Mom, I have friends,” he grinned as he spoke. “Their names are Ishana and Ben. Wanna know something cool, mom? Ishana is an alien!”

He stopped, lowering the ring for a moment as he reconsidered his words. “Well not technically an alien dad says. She looks normal! Well, human I guess. Master Skywalker said she’s an Echani? She looks like a diamond, mom, it’s so cool.

“Ben is a good ole human, like you, me, and dad! His mom is Senator Organa and his dad? Get this, mom, his dad is THE Han Solo! Isn’t that the coolest thing in the world?!” Poe began his tirade excitedly, having waited months to go on this long-awaited rant of utter excitement. “They’re my best friends. They’re both ten too. Ben told me that Ishana has lived with his family the past two years. Her dad is in the senate for the New Republic, just like his mom. Ishana doesn’t talk about it, but I think her mom is gone.”

Poe’s voice lowered considerably as he realized the implications. “That means maybe she’s met you? She said her mom was force-sensitive I think, so maybe you two have met! Ben’s parents are still alive but if they ever passed away like you, I hope they’d be your friends and keep you company.”

The ring glinted in the light, drawing the young boy’s attention to the reflection across the walls and floor. He then let it drop from his fingers and it landed softly on his dark comforter. “Dad misses you,” he whispered. “I know he pretends he’s okay, but I heard him cry last night. And the night before too, mom. He’s doing good though, just like me. I miss you. Maybe if I ask Ishana, she can talk to her mom and they’ll let me talk to you? Maybe that’s what she’ll give me for the new year.”

Still, no one responded. Poe wondered if it was because his mom was listening or if it was because she wasn’t there at all. But Master Skywalker told him that no one was ever gone, not really. So that meant his mom still had to be around right? It meant she could hear him and see him, right? It had to. Master Skywalker wouldn’t lie like that. Plus, he was a Jedi! He knew everything!

“Hey, Poe,” an older voice interrupted the boy’s thoughts. Poe looked up, eyeing his father’s hesitant stance in the doorframe to his bedroom. A smile crossed his young lips.

“Hey dad!” He shifted in place and sat up, crossing his legs beneath him. “I was talking to mom!”

Kess Dameron raised a brow. “Were you?”

Poe nodded vigorously. “Yup! I was telling her about Ishana and Ben.”

His father smiled, walking into the room until he could sit on the edge of Poe’s bed. “And what did your mother say?”

This forced Poe’s smile to fall and a cold feeling tickled his heart, something he had felt a couple times since he lost his mom. He wasn’t quite sure what that feeling was, but he knew he didn’t like it. “She didn’t respond. But Ishana told me that she should. Master Skywalker even told me that everyone is still here in some way!”

Kess stroked his thinning goatee. “Hmm,” he hummed thoughtfully, “perhaps you talked to her too much and she grew too tired to respond?”

Poe pursed his lips. “Mom never got tired of me telling her stories though!”

His dad smiled, the sunlight reflecting off of his dark eyes. Poe’s face scrunched up as Kess ruffled his dark curls, reaching hurriedly to stop his father from skewing his perfect style. He was thirteen! Not two.

“Dad!”

“Poe!”

The pair made eye contact, stared for a second and burst into a furious fit of laughter, collapsing onto Poe’s bed with familial ease. Their giggles filled the air, bubbling up and out of their bodies with such joyous humor that even the happiest of people would perhaps be jealous. Poe loved these moments with his dad more than anything. Maybe even more than the flights with his mom. No. That wasn’t true. But he did love these moments so much that he knew he would cherish the memories for a long time.

“Dad?”

“Yeah, kid?”

“What should I get Ishana for her birthday? What should I get Ben for the new year?” the boy asked softly, turning his head to look at his favorite person in the entire world.

His dad’s aging features crinkled at the corners of his eyes, line appearing around his lips as he grinned with a softness only ever reserved for Poe. “Why don’t we ask your mother and talk to her for a bit?”

Poe beamed brighter than the sunlight that filtered in and lit up the room. “Really?!”

Kess laughed, a subtle sadness lining the kind sound. “Sure, Poe.”

So the pair talked to the world beyond, Kess doing his best to pretend for Poe. Doing his best to pretend for himself. But Poe didn’t know any better. He just smiled and laughed and nodded, oblivious to the realities of death and it’s utter finality when one is not lucky to know the Force intimately. He was just a kid, how could he know any better?

* * *

Poe kicked at the dirt beneath his shoes, bouncing on his toes as he rocked back and forth. He held Ben’s gift behind his back. He’d give him the gift first and then Ishana would get her’s, since it technically was a combined gift. But he worried they wouldn’t like it. He worried that they would laugh. Or maybe they didn’t want to get him a gift? It would make sense. They were gonna be Jedi. What was Poe compared to them? He wondered if he could even fly as well as Ben, seeing as his dad was the Han Solo.

A burning engulfed his cheeks, tickling his ears and he raised his shoulders to itch at the feeling. He was so nervous. So incredibly nervous. What if Master Skywalker didn’t let them keep their gifts? Panic immediately seized Poe and he hurriedly turned to look up at his dad.

“What if they can’t keep them?!” he whispered with pure panic.

Kess looked down at the boy and patted his shoulder. “Don’t worry, Poe, I’m sure Master Skywalker will allow it.”

“But what if he doesn’t?!”

“He will,” his dad chuckled, thumb caressing calmly over the boy’s jacket. Poe pursed his lips and looked back down at his feet. His dad seemed to know everything. He didn’t know how either. Was his dad a Jedi too, like Master Skywalker?

His dad did talk to his mom, so maybe he could use the Force?!

“Dad?”

“Yeah Poe?”

“Can you use the Force?”

A deep rumble of a chuckle escaped the adult and his father wrapped his arm around the boy in a tight side squeeze. “Never change, Poe.”

The boy was about to cry out in offended protest that Kess did not answer the question, but he was distracted by the doors to the Praxeum opening wide. A large grin and a tad too large mouth greeted him, mirroring his ecstatic visage.

“Ishana! Ben!”

The pair of Jedi apprentices laughed loudly, though Poe would assume it was Ishana that was the main culprit for the bubbly melody. They darted across the courtyard to him, a small box in each of their hands. The sight of gifts made Poe’s smile widen exponentially, forcing his small feet faster and faster so he could meet with them quicker.

“Hi Poe!” Ishana giggled, jumping to an abrupt stop so she didn’t run into him.

But Ben, with his gangly size, was unable to stop and rammed right into Poe. The pair collided and Poe’s gift slipped from his hands, landing safely on the stones below. He fell on his butt, rubbing at his forehead where he and Ben clipped each other. A stinging erupted, and a small bump began to form. Ben turned bright red, looking down in shame as his fingers crumbled at the weeds that popped up in the cracks of the stone.

“Sorry, Poe,” he whispered, a sniffle escaping him. “I didn’t mean to.”

Poe chuckled. “It’s okay!”

Ben looked up in surprise, eyes wide and mouth slightly agape.

Ishana laughed loudly. “Again Poe?! You gotta watch where you’re going!” She then turned to help Ben up, her small hands even smaller compared to his thin but lengthy arm. The Solo boy turned beet red at being helped by a girl, something Poe related to. He liked Ishana, she was his friend. But boys were stronger. Even those without the Force, he thought confidently. 

Poe picked up the gift and held it out to Ben. The box was as big as his head—something his dad made in his workshop—and a shiny metal. It had a latch on the outside. “My dad made the box!” Poe exclaimed proudly, puffing his chest just a little. “It opens only for you, he said.”

Ben’s jaw dropped, his hands hesitant to reach for the gift. “Really?”

“Yup!” Poe popped his lips at the ‘o’.

Ben swallowed, his lips almost quivering. He shakily grabbed the box, the pair’s fingers grazing during the transfer. Poe smiled nervously, retracting his hands quickly and twisting his fingers together behind his back. He began to rock back and forth again.

Ben clicked the lock. It popped open and he peered inside, his eyes widening even further. With a gasp, he set the box down and pulled out the silver disc. There was a button that he spied and pressed down upon it. A pretty blue light appeared, taking form of an A-Wing.

“Poe-“

“If you press the button again, it’ll show another flyer! If you hold it down, it’ll turn off!” Poe cried out with uncontained glee. “It’s all the standard models for the Rebel Alliance! Dad helped me think of it.”

Ben’s eyes took on a bright sheen, dark browns growing progressively glossier by the second. He hurled himself over to Poe, crushing him in an embrace that sent the two crashing to the ground. Poe laughed loudly, his nervousness disappearing without a second thought and with each moment of being held by his best friend.

“You’re my best friend, Poe Dameron.”

“And you’re mine, Ben Solo!”

“What about me?” Ishana pouted, placing her hands on her hips, the gift for Poe nearly slipping out of her grasp. 

The pair looked at each other and then at the little girl who was so instrumental to their group. “You too, Ishana,” Poe grinned. The white-haired girl beamed and jumped on top of Ben, earning a groan of protest from each boy.

“So what did you get me?” she asked, batting her white lashes at the Dameron boy.

He looked at both Ben and Ishana. “How about a trip?”


End file.
